


Driven By You

by SevenSeasOfSigh



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: 1969, Fluffy, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Maybe some angst, Maylor - Freeform, Post-Smile, Roadtrip, Stargazing, we’ll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SevenSeasOfSigh/pseuds/SevenSeasOfSigh
Summary: It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, a meteor shower that only occurs once every 150 years, but the best view of it was hundreds of miles away. What could a little road trip hurt anyway?Set in 1969Established QueenJohn's there too :)The meteor shower is a fictional one because ya girl doesn't know space stuff.
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor
Comments: 9
Kudos: 40





	1. London

July 18, 1969

"We could burn her house down."

It was meant to be a short phone call, one to confirm plans. A five minute conversation to make sure they were both on the right track for upcoming band practices, the same five minute conversation Brian had just had with John and Freddie.

It was never meant to be a three hour phone call of Brian explaining his recent breakup and his broken plans of watching the moon landing with his girlfriend. Now, he was alone in London, nothing but an empty flat and a stray cat that would come by every so often keeping him company.

"Bri, just say the words and I'll bring the lighter and a bottle of whatever my mum has in her cabinets, or lighter fluid and newspaper, which do you fancy?"

"Rog, it's fine. It was mutual, I broke up with her and she wanted to break up with me." He couldn't help a small smile that had appeared on his face. He didn't love the violence that was currently being suggested, but it always felt nice to know someone cared about you. "Besides, you're in Truro, that's too far."

The line was silent for a moment, a rare occasion when Roger was in the phone. Brian though he may have gotten distracted, or perhaps bored with the current conversation.

"I don't buy it, you're too nice to break up with anyone." Roger scoffed into the receiver. "So, either she cheated or she broke up with you."

"She wanted an open relationship and I didn't. We were growing apart, it was bound to happen at some point." Brian admitted with a sigh. "It's alright though, it's just... We were going to watch the moon landing together, but now it's just me."

Brian heard the line go silent once more and cursed himself for over sharing. Sure, they had known each other for about a year now, but it wasn't normal to pour your heart and soul out to your band mate. He felt his stomach twist a bit, he didn't want Roger to think any less of him for whining about being alone. He was a relationship guy, he didn't like being alone.

A slight rustle of papers caught his attention along with a satisfied hum from the boy on the phone.

"Right, there's a train leaving from London to Cornwall tomorrow morning." Roger spoke, finally breaking the silence that had ripped Brian apart. "It leaves at seven."

"What?"

"You said you don't want to watch it alone and you don't want me traveling all that way, so you're coming here. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I let you spend your birthday alone." Roger chuckled, his raspy laugh resonating through the receiver. "Freddie's down with Mary's family this week, Deaky is off wherever he goes when we're not practicing, and you said your parents are on holiday, so you're coming here, or I'll come and get you myself."

He couldn't believe Roger had remembered it was his birthday, well, that his birthday was the following day. Sure, they'd mentioned it in passing and he knew Roger was in Cornwall for his own birthday in the coming week.

The nineteen year old was excited to finally be twenty. He was ecstatic about it for weeks before he left to go home to visit his family. Brian wasn't too excited about turning twenty-two, to him it was just another year.

"Brian? You there, mate?"

"Yes, sorry. I can't believe you remembered my birthday." Brian blurted our before he could stop himself. He was about to apologize, take it back and avoid the awkwardness before the raspy laugh filled his ears once more.

"Of course I did! Me and Fred wrote it up on the calendar in the stall, well, I did at least." Roger didn't seem to notice the awkwardness Brian felt as he let out steady sigh. "My mum is going to kill me for being on the phone for so long, I gotta go, Bri. I hope you'll catch the train, I don't wanna watch those American's prance around on the moon alone!"

"I'll be there." Brian promised before he even had a chance to consider it.

"Great! Bye, Brian!"

Before he had a chance to respond, the line went dead.

After hanging the phone back up on the hook, he sighed heavily and glanced around the room. He had to admit, it was nice talking to someone about the breakup, but he wasn't really all that sad to leave Chrissie. It wasn't the type of breakup that held anger, they both wanted different thing, maybe one more than other. It wasn't anyone's fault, they just weren't meant for each other.

Looking at the bare walls, the empty shelves and cold atmosphere that surrounded him, he truly felt alone. Sure, he was shy in nature and was quite introverted most of the time, he enjoyed the company of others, at least if it was good company.

Brian heaved a sigh as he looked at the calendar on the wall, July 18th. One day until his birthday and two until the moon landing. He would be lying if he said the thought of watching it with Roger didn't make him unexplainably happy. They were friends now, he supposed. They had gotten pretty close after Tim decided to quit Smile, and even closer when Queen became a real thing.

He'd even go as far as to say Roger was his best friend, though he knew Freddie was Roger's closest friend. The two lived together and ran a stall together. How could he compete with that?

Brian shook his head, trying to clear away the thoughts plaguing his mind. Compete for what exactly? They were adults, not children. Why in the world would he be jealous of Freddie over Roger? They were friends, friends can be friends with other people! It didn't matter, he was just glad to have a friend.

With a deep sigh, Brian sat down on his sofa, his eyes never leaving the calendar. It was then that he decided what he would do.

He was going to catch that train.


	2. Truro

July 19, 1969

The cool morning air had soon turned to a sunny, warm breeze as Brian stepped off the train. In his hand, he held a small strip of paper with Roger's phone number scribbled on it that Roger had gave him along with Freddie and John just before he left for Truro the week before.

It had dawned on him after hanging up the night before that he had absolutely no idea where the drummers family home even was, not a single clue as to what his address would be. He sighed as he searched for the pay phones, digging in his pocket to find some change to make the call.

He was hoping to surprise Roger with the fact that he actually came, thinking it'd be a nice way to start off his little holiday in the south of England. But no, he forgot to ask for an address.

It only took a few moments to locate a row of pay phones, the guitarist quickly picking up the receiver and dropping in a coin before dialing the number. He leaned up against the wall, the phone pressed to his ear as he listened to each ring.

"Who're you calling?"

Brian jumped at the sudden voice behind him, hastily turning around to find the owner of said voice smirking back at him.

"Happy birthday, Bri." Roger chuckled, grabbing the phone from his hand and hanging it up. "Glad you could make it."

"How'd you know I was coming?" Brian dropped his hand from his chest, his heart still pounding from the previous fright.

"Well, I didn't. So it good you did, or this would've been bloody embarrassing, waiting at the station all day and whatnot only for you to not show up." Roger snorted, throwing an arm over his shoulder and leading him towards were he was parked. "Again, happy birthday."

"Thanks, Rog." Brian chuckled a bit, his grin spread permanently across his face as the blond gave him a playful nudge in response.

As the got into the car, Roger shifted through the radio stations, settling on a rock station and setting the volume to a soft level.

"So, people on the moon, huh?" Roger looked over at him, his glance just barely lingering on the guitarist before looking back to the road. "Jealous it's not you?" He asked, a joking tone present in his voice.

"I've never been so jealous in my life." He played along, an airy laugh falling from his lips, "Thank you for picking me up. I figured I'd be catching a cab to your parents place."

"It's your birthday, mate. I'd be a right prick to leave you to fend for your little old self out there on your special day!" Roger grinned almost manically, nudging the older boy with his elbow

"Little self?" Brian scoffed, though the amused grin never left his face. "I've got a good bit of height on you, Rog."

"Don't flatter yourself, it's mostly your hair and legs!" He snorted.

Their chuckles soon faded into a comfortable silence as a new song began on the radio.

"So..." Roger broke the silence after a moment, glancing over at him with a small grin. "I hope you don't mind sleeping on an air mattress."

"Beats the floor or couch." Brian have a small shrug, "an air mattress sounds great."

"Good, I'd offer my own bed 'cause it's your birthday and I'm such a great host, but it's almost too small for me." Roger let out a small yawn, taking a hand off the wheel to rub his eyes.

"Tired?"

"Well, I was up until about five in the morning because Freddie had a 'breakthrough' and wouldn't let me off the line." Roger chuckled a bit. "My mum is going to have my head over this months phone bill."

"A breakthrough?" Brian cocked an eyebrow at that. Freddie hadn't talked to him about any ideas he'd been stumped on, but usually they were pretty major.

"Yeah, turns out the bloke got drunk and was taking the piss. Convinced himself that if he jumped out the window, he'd land on his feet like a bloody cat. Had to call Deaky to make sure he didn't go and break himself." Roger shook his head. "And he's been spending too much time with that cat Mary gave him, had to tell me everything they had done together, him and the cat."

"Are you sure he was just drunk?" Brian snorted a laugh, watching as the blond shot him a grin.

"Who knows with him." Roger stifled another yawn. "I've caught him with worse at the shop."

Brian let out a quiet laugh, turning his attention to the window. He'd never been this far south of England, it was a bit different from London. Nicer, cozier even.

The small town feel made him feel safe, unlike the scarier parts of London where you could be mugged or assaulted, not that he had been, but Freddie's stories did frighten him a bit.

"Sorry. It's not as exciting as London, I know. That's why I moved as soon as I could. Bit boring here." Roger looked over at him, sighing as they pulled into the driveway of a small house. "And I know the house is small, but it was just me, my mum, and my sister for a while and-"

"Rog, it's great." Brian put a hand on his shoulder, a comforting smile calming the insecurity oozing from the drummer.

He found it strange, in the months he'd known Roger — in a friendly manner rather than just another band mate, he'd never seen the blond so small. He was usually the picture of confidence, cocky smiles plastered to his face as he walked around as if the world was his.

He was different in that moment, his eyes not quite meeting Brian's as he apologized for things that didn't matter in the least.

"I know you're used to the city, your parents house is probably twice, no, three times the size of mine. I just," Roger cut himself off, shaking his head and letting a grin spread a crossed his face once more. "Never mind that. Let's get you inside, birthday boy."

Roger shut the car off, getting out of the car and grabbing Brian's bags before lugging them to the door. "Come on!" He called over his shoulder, nearly kicking the door open before a young blond girl, who looked to be in her mid-teens, ripped the door open.

"Help me." Roger muttered under his breath as she just laughed, shoving past him to greet Brian.

"Hi! You must be the Brian we've heard so much about!" She grinned, watching Brian's worried gaze linger on her brother, who was barely making it through the door. Maybe he packed too much, it was only for a few days... "Oh, he's fine! It's great to meet you, I'm Clare, Roger's favourite sister." She stuck her hands out and shook his hand.

"You're my only sister." Roger scoffed, giving up and dropping the bags off at the stairs. "And still, you're not my favourite, I'd trade you for a new car."

"You'd sell your soul for a new car, that's hardly an insult." Clare rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to Brian. "He's got an obsession with cars. He thinks it makes him seem manly, but he still looks more like a girl than me and my mum do."

"Piss off and let him be." Roger grabbed her and pushed her inside.

"It's only the truth!" Clare retorted, sticking her tongue out before running inside up to her room.

Roger rolled his eyes, making his way inside with the older boy behind him. "So, that was my sister. She's fifteen and a prat." He chuckled a bit. "If you can get used to me, you'll get used to her pretty fast."

"She seems lovely." Brian chuckled, grabbing his bags from the ground.

He looked around the modest home, smiling at the sight of family pictures. A small one above the fireplace caught his eye, one of a middle aged couple behind Roger and Clare. It didn't seem too old, five years at most. Roger was clearly still in his early teens while Clare was hardly reaching her pre-teen years yet. They were both a spitting image of their mother with their wide bright eyes and blonde hair, but looked nothing like their father who was significantly taller and had jet black hair. He bared a resemblance to Elvis in a way that made Brian chuckle to himself.

"Your parents look happy." Brian commented, a small smile gracing his face as he picked up the picture.

"That's my mum and her boyfriend." Roger said offhandedly, not paying much mind to the photo. "My room's up here, we can go put your stuff up there and then I'll show you around town."

Brian gave a quick nod, climbing the stairs behind him, entering the small bedroom. He had to suppress his smile when he saw a makeshift cot on the floor beside the bed. It had about five blankets piled neatly on top and an abundance of pillows.

The air mattress Roger had mentioned before.

"What?" Roger cocked an eyebrow at him, making his realize he had failed and was now grinning at the bed.

"You already had the bed set up for me." Brian turned his smile to the blond who rolled his eyes.

"Bit cocky, yeah? Who said that bed was just for you, I could've had a girl over." He scoffed, though from the slight tinge of red on his cheeks, Brian could tell he was lying.

"You make girls sleep on the floor?" He pressed, laughing when Rogers face became even more red. "What about your girlfriend, uh...Patrice?"

"Denise." Roger corrected with a snort. "She's been shagging her professor the whole time we've been together. She said it was the only way she'd pass the class."

"Oh," Brian frowned a bit, raising a hand to rest on the blonds shoulder. He figured it'd be a good time to comfort him, but before he could say anything else, the blond began laughing.

"Don't get all mopey on me, Bri! I wasn't even with her for more than a few weeks! Didn't care too much for her anyway, she said I was too much and I thought she was boring." He shrugged, nudging him gently. "Well, until I found out about the professor." He added with a chuckle. "Wish I could pass a class like that."

Brian examined his face, finding no actual sadness on his face. He wasn't too surprised, Roger was no stranger to short flings.

"If you say so." He shrugged, placing his bags on the drummers bedroom floor. "And gross."

The rest of the afternoon went much like that, relaxed and calm. After Brian was finally settled in, they stepped out onto the front stoop and headed off downtown.

The walk was far from long, taking less than ten minutes to reach the small shops that lined the quaint streets.

"My mums at work now, she'll probably be home in time for dinner. If not, we can just order out from one of the Chinese shops." Roger mentioned, nodding his head towards a small restaurant. "Not sure if Trevor will be there with us and me and Clare can't cook, so that or we starve." He joked.

"You said she's a nurse, right?" He asked, watching as Roger nodded, slipping his hands in his pockets.

"Mhm, she works in the A&E. Works a bit extra sometimes when they need her, so she may be late." Roger shrugged, a small smile on his face as he began recounting on different stories his mum had told from her various shifts.

Brian watched with his mouth pulled into a smile as he listened to Roger talk about his mother, chucking at the funnier bits. It was almost strange in a way, seeing the blond so open about his family. It wasn't something he talked about often, so he was happy to listen to every detail.

He enjoyed the town a lot, it being on the smaller side led to a warmer feeling than London had ever gave him. He reveled in the fact that the blond seemed so at ease, much different from his usual short-tempered attitude or hyper-activeness that Brian had been so used to.

After visiting a few shops, including the music store Roger had mentioned being his favorite childhood place, the sun was finally setting. Brian was surprised at how fast the day had passed, the duo laughing and swapping childhood stories as they walked the streets painted with Rogers earliest memories.

"It's quite nice around town, the shops are open decently late and all, but I think I know some place better. I think you'll like this one the best." Roger grinned, tilting his head down a small alley way.

Brian's unsure look had caused the younger boy to laugh and grab his arm, pulling him in the desired direction.

"It's a shortcut, Bri, I wouldn't murder you. Well, at least not on your birthday." He chuckled, leading Brian further from the shop-littered streets to a gated park.

Brian looked around skeptically, his eyes landing on a small sign stating the open hours 7am-5pm. With a glance at his watch, he frowned at Roger. "It's closed, Rog."

"Not if you can climb." He smirked, threading his fingers through the wired fence.

"Climb?"

"Unless you can jump five meters into the sky." Roger grinned at him over his shoulder before climbing all the way to the top of the fence, a satisfied smile on his lips as he straddled the top of the gate.

"Well," he called down, "you coming?"

And with that, he climbed. Sure, it wasn't Mt. Everest, not even close, but he'd be lying if he said it wasn't exhilarating sitting at the top of that gate, looking down at the grass and dirt below. He almost got lost in his thoughts before he felt a small nudge in his side.

When he looked over, Roger had a small grin on his face before pointing upwards at the sky. "Look up, Bri." He said quietly, his eyes moving back upwards.

The sight before him nearly took his breath away, the stars shining brightly in the clear night sky. The spot was perfect, far enough from any streetlights or trees to obstruct the view, just the wide open space filled with stars and the soft sounds of summer surrounding them.

"This is amazing, Rog..." Brian tore his gaze from the sky to look at the smiling blond, his own blue eyes focused on the older boy.

"Happy birthday, Bri." Roger said softly, a genuine smile tugging at his lips.

In that moment, he felt sometime deep down, an unexplainable flutter in his stomach that made him feel light, happy.

Ignoring the flutter, he simply returned his smile with a quiet 'thank you' before looking back at the sky.

It was nice to have a friend.

"Rog?"

"Hmm?" The younger boy hummed, turning his attention to the curly haired guitarist beside him.

"Have you ever seen a meteor shower?"

Roger tilted his head, thinking for a moment before shaking his head. "No, don't think so. I've mistaken a few planes for shooting stars before." He shrugged his shoulders before looking back at the older boy, "Why?"

Brian wasn't sure where the nervousness that has begun to pool in his belly came from, he assumed it was from being up so high. He glanced at the ground, the nervousness fading slightly to his dismay as he stared at the grass below.

"Well, my professor said there's one coming up, the twenty-seventh of this month." Brian looked back at the blue eyes that watched him inquisitively.

"Might be difficult to see in the city." Roger commented, frowning when Brian just sighed.

"Well, yeah. I was going to take a trip to see it, thought about getting a flight to Scotland." Brian looked up with a nervous smile, "I was going to go with Chrissie, but now I guess I'm going by myself." He shrugged.

"Bri, is this your way of asking me to come with you?" Roger snorted, kicking his feet on the silver wire, the clunking sound filling the quiet air.

Brian felt a blush creep up his neck as he quickly tried to defend himself, only getting as far as opening his mouth before the blond cut him off.

"Anyways, I'll go, but I'm not taking a bloody plane. We're gonna drive." Roger grinned, pausing his kicks to look at the older boy. "It's summer, we've got nothing better to do. Besides, it'll be nice to get away for a few days."

"It's only about fourteen hours away, Rog." Brian chuckled, "Not a few days."

"Now, where's the fun in driving fourteen hours straight? We can stop places, don't you have an adventurous side?" Roger nudged him playfully, the corner of his lips tugged upwards into a smile.

Brian considered it for a moment. He hardly had to think, this trip would be good for him. Friends went on road trips all the time, and he always wanted to get closer with Roger outside of the band, he really was a good friend. Besides, what would a little road trip hurt anyway?

"Okay," Brian smiled, "let's do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops that took a while! Sorry I've been busy with my new job, it's literally sucking the life out of me. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm quitting said job lmao
> 
> Hope you liked it!
> 
> ✌🏻


	3. The Moon

_**July 21, 1969** _

_**12 am** _

The smell of coffee filled the lounge, sounds of stifled yawns and the quiet voices of the newscasters updating all of Truro of the space shuttle's position.

Brian's eyes were glued to the television set, hanging onto every word the news anchors said as Roger poured himself another cup of coffee.

Clare had been on the verge of falling asleep for the last hour, and Winifred and Trevor had gone to bed two hours before instructing the boys to take pictures for her to see in the morning, leaving the Polaroid camera on the coffee table before leaving the room.

Roger rolled his eyes when his sister finally lost her battle against sleep, choosing the kind option of flicking her forehead.

"Go to bed, kid, you're gonna get a kink in your neck." He told her as she gave him an angry glare.

"You wanker, you fucking-"

"Aww, look at the grumpy little-"

Clare huffed, slapping him upside the head before standing up. "I'm going to bed. Wake me up when they're on the moon." She muttered tiredly as he rubbed his head.

Roger snorted, rolling his eyes as his sister left the room.

"They say they'll be landing soon." Roger grinned, relaxing back into his spot on the sofa, looking over at the older boy. "In the next few hours."

"Think you can stay awake that long?" Brian challenged, grinning when the blond slapped him on his shoulder.

"Please, I could stay up until next week if I had to." Roger snorted, a playful smile on his face. "Besides, I told you we'd watch it together and I'll be damned if you have to do your space nerd shit alone."

"Well, when you put it so kind and eloquently." Brian chuckled.

"Oh, hush." Roger grinned, leaning on the arm rest.

Brian watched the television set intensely, listening to each update as Roger watched him with a smile.

"Ever think this would happen in our lifetime?" He asked, drawing the older boys attention off the screen.

"I had hoped, but never had I imagined I'd be able to see it. It's crazy, isn't it?" Brian beamed, his excitement flowing out of him like a child.

Roger just nodded, stifling a yawn. A soft smile stretched across his face as he listened to Brian go on about space and the moon along with the galaxies and constellations. He hardly noticed his eyes slide shut.

"Rog!" Brian shook his shoulder, an excited whisper filling his ears as he jumped away.

"Wha? Sorry, Bri, I almost fell asleep." He gave him a sheepish grin, tilting his head when Brian laughed.

"Almost? You slept for three hours!" Brian chuckled. "Look! They're landing!"

Roger watched the screen with wide eyes, his mouth open in a mix between a excitement and shock as he watched the historical event unfold. Sitting up completely, he leaned a bit into Brian's side, his eyes transfixed on the man currently stepping on the moon.

"They're really there." Roger said, astonishment filled his sleepy voice.

Brian looked down at the younger boy pressed against his side, despite having at least two more sofa cushions of length on the other side of him. He smiled a bit to himself, thinking back on a conversation he had had with Freddie.

_"Roger's just as bad tired as he is drunk. Catch him in a sleepy mood he's just like a cat who will curl up next to anyone for comfort and warmth. It's the sweetest thing, really." The singer had said, leaning up against the stalls counter. "Don't worry so much about it."_

_"I wasn't worried." Brian stuffed his hands in his pockets, watching the then-eighteen year old mingle with customers._

_"You just thought we were together." Freddie said, a smirk on his face. "Darling, how many times do I have to tell you-"_

_"This would be the first." Brian interjected, ultimately being ignored by the older man._

_"Me and Blondie and strictly friends and business owners. And maybe band mates one day if you drop that Tim character." Freddie clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "But if you're jealous-"_

_"Jealous?" Brian asked incredulously, almost laughing. "No, no. I'm not jealous. C'mon, Fred. He's eighteen, he's just a kid."_

_"So age is the only factor?"_

Brian shook his head, of course he wasn't jealous. Why would he be? He wasn't... He didn't have feelings for the small blond who was currently crushing his right lung.

He swore he didn't.

Freddie just liked to stir up trouble and tease. Besides, Freddie lived with Roger, even now! He should know the blond was straight. At least that's what he assumed.

His thoughts were interrupted by a flash to his face, the perpetrator wore a playful smile as he shook the picture.

"Lost in your thoughts, May? Or do you always looks so grumpy at three in the morning?" Roger smirked, flashing the half developed picture in his face.

"Just tired." He faked a yawn, scooting farther into the armrest.

His subtle move away didn't go unnoticed by the blond who then sat up straight, moving down the sofa with a muttered apology.

Brian cursed Freddie for getting in his head. He felt guilty for obviously hurting the blonds feelings, the Roger hid it well with his absentminded stare into the telly as the program came to an end.

He was just a kid, not even out of his teen years yet. Of course Brian felt bad about hurting his feelings.

"Hey, Rog?" He spoke up, watching the blond look at him with his big, drowsy eyes. A look that pulled at his heartstrings.

"Yeah, Bri?" Roger yawned, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Of course, I just... I just wanted to thank you. For inviting me here and for spending my birthday with me. And for watching-" Brian rambled on, getting cut off by Rogers tired laugh.

"What are friend for, Bri." Roger smiled, standing up and stretching his back out. "Let's go to bed, I'm so bloody tired."

Brian smiled, getting up to follow him to his room. He grabbed his toothbrush and headed towards the bathroom, rinsing the bristles before pulling out his own tube of toothpaste.

Roger walked in, wetting his own brush before looking at the taller man, a laugh bubbling up in his throat.

"You didn't have to bring your own toothpaste." He chuckled, squeezing a bit onto his brush and sticking it in his mouth. "You numpty."

"I didn't want to be rude." Brian blushed, slowly putting the now mint flavored brush in his mouth, shyly ducking his head as he brushed his teeth.

Roger just snorted at him, baring his teeth in the mirror and scrubbing them, winking when he caught Brian staring at him. Spitting in the sink, he rinsed the glob of toothpaste down the drain, bumping shoulders with Brian and grinning a toothpaste filled grin at him.

The older boy chuckled, spitting into the sink. "You're ridiculous."

"You've got toothpaste on your nose." Roger smirked, causing the older boy to snap his head around to look in the mirror, seeing no such thing. Right when he was about to open his mouth to respond, Roger dropped a big glob of toothpaste on his nose.

"You nutter." Brian laughed, wiping his nose off, watching Roger laugh as he rinsed his toothbrush off. Right when he was distracted by the task, Brian reached over and swiped the minty substance across the blonds cheek.

"Prat!" Roger squealed, laughing as he wiped his cheek. He quickly wiped it back on Brian's face, running from the bathroom into his bedroom to escape the taller man.

Brian laughed, the toothpaste on his hand and ready to be swiped on the fleeing blond. Quickly he cornered him, the younger of the two with the backs of his knees on the edge of the bed.

In attempt to get further from Brian, he stumbled back, falling flat onto the bed, his laughter filling the room.

"No, Bri! No!" Roger laughed, trying to push his toothpaste covered hand away. One of the pushes knocked him off balance and down on top of the blond, who laughed even harder.

Brian hovered over him, on hand beside Rogers head, holding him up and the other, covered in toothpaste, pushing towards the blond, trying to get more wiped on him.

Roger held his wrist with all his strength, struggling to keep the minty goop from his already toothpaste covered cheeks.

Looking up at Brian, his face flush and nearly shoulder length hair splayed around his head, he stared up at Brian, seemingly realizing the compromising position they were in.

Brian felt the embarrassment rise in his chest, word vomit threatening to spill from his mouth at the flustered look on Rogers face before the blond bursted out into another laughing fit.

“You’ve got me, Bri.” Roger laughed, his big blue eyes crinkled up in amusement and clouded by sleepy delirium. “Truce?”

“Truce.” Brian chuckled, rolling off of him and rubbing the back of his red, flushed neck. God, was he sweating?

“Didn’t think you’d tackle me, mate.” Roger giggled a bit, standing up and going back into the bathroom to rinse off. “You’re heavier than you look.” He joked. “Or maybe it was your knee crushing my dick.”

Brian nearly choked at his words. “Oh! Sorry, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even notice!”

“I’ll survive, Bri.” Roger shook his head, drying the water off his face, watching as brian did the same before crawling into bed. “That was fun.” He grinned, rolling to his side to watch Brian lay on his makeshift cot.

“It was.” Brian agreed, his face finally returning to its natural pale shade.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Roger said softly, smiling at him before yawning. “Goodnight, Bri.”

Brian felt a flutter in his chest at his words. A sense of belonging warming his core in the best possible way. A way he knew he wouldn’t have felt had he chose to spend this day with anyone else. He was glad he was there too.

“Goodnight, Rog.” He whispered softly into the dark, moonlit room.

It was so nice to have a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you all thought I abandoned this book on account of me not updating it since October 
> 
> Ha! You thought!
> 
> Just kidding, hope you liked it! 
> 
> Peace ✌🏻


	4. On The Road

_**July 21, 1969** _

_**10 am** _

Roger was putting the last bag in the back of his van when his mother began her list.

It was a similar list to what she had read off when he first left for university, to when he began dental school a few months prior. The same lengthy, overwhelming, and over-prepared list.

"And you have extra socks in case it gets cold?"

"Yes, mum. But it won't get cold. It's summer." Roger sighed, taking the overly filled first aid kit from his mother's shaking hands.

"And your medicine?"

"I'm not on any medicine, mum."

"Your inhaler?"

"I haven't had an attack since I was sixteen!"

"Okay, okay..." Winnie sighed, rummaging through her purse. "Then bring two." She handed him the two red inhalers as the young blond blushed. Where did she even get those?

"I'm gonna be okay, mum." Roger rolled his eyes, kissing her cheek. "It's only seven days, then I'll be right back in London."

"Seven days is enough to join a cult, commit mass murder, and end up dead and in prison." Winnie said, pulling her son into a hug. "Don't you dare join one of those cults or I'll kill you."

"Why would they put me in prison if I'm already dead?" Roger quipped, earning a light smack on the arm from his mother.

"Don't get smart with me, I'm allowed to be worried!" Winnie pulled the boy in for a hug, her hand cradling his head like a child. "Are you sure you have everything? It's a long trip..."

"Yes, ma, I'm sure." Roger pulled away and smiled down at her. "I'll be okay, I've got Bri with me if anything goes wrong."

Winnie looked to the taller boy, who was meticulously checking through the bags to make sure that they did have everything. He still had to pick up some more clothes when they passed through London, but that didn't stop Winnie from trying to pack him a suitcase of Rogers old clothes. Brian didn't have the heart to tell her that they wouldn't fit, but Roger had dumped the suitcase back into the bin where she had gotten the clothes from.

She did worry about Brian too, but Roger was a frail child, maybe not so much anymore, but she still remembered the days he would come off the rugby fields pale and shaking as the other boys laughed at him. From his looks to who he was, though he tried to hide it the best he could, she found out before he finished up school when his class caught him with another boy. Bitterly, she thought of the horrid things her ex-husband would spit at him when he would launch himself into her arms on the particularly hard days. How boys could be so cruel to her baby. She didn't blame him for running to London the first chance he got.

"Here's some extra money, Rog." Winnie heard from behind her, seeing Trevor smiling down at her son as he handed him some bills. "Have fun and be safe." He said with a smile, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks, Trevor." Roger grinned over at him, pocketing the money. It was weird getting used to having another man in the house that wasn't his dad, but Trevor had proven himself to be good. Especially when it came to his mum and Clare when he left for university.

Winnie just shook her head, kissing her sons cheek. "Don't you forget to call me, okay?"

Roger nodded, walking towards the drivers seat. "I won't." He promised, looking over to Brian. "Ready to go?"

Brian nodded, waving goodbye to Rogers family before getting into the car, grinning widely.

Buckling their seatbelts, Roger pulled off and sped down the street, passing by every building. He rolled down his window before digging in his pocket, pulling out a carton of cigarettes. Putting the stick between his lips, he offered one to Brian, who put a hand up in refusal.

Shrugging, he lit the stick and drew in a long breath, blowing the smoke out towards the window.

"I didn't know you had asthma." Brian spoke up, a worried glance at the lit cigarette hanging from the boys lips.

Roger smirked, two fingers gracefully pulling the cigarette from his lips. "Never asked."

"Should you be smoking if you-"

"Probably not, Dr. May. But like I said, I haven't had an attack in over three years." Roger shrugged, taking another drag. "Teenage rebellion turned bad habit, one thing they never warned me about." He joked, smoking falling from his mouth at his every word.

Brian chuckled a bit, leaning against the van door. "I've never actually been on a road trip." He admitted, hearing Roger hum in response. "Not sure how to go about it."

"It's good for when you want to get away." Roger said, glancing over at the guitarist. "When nothings going right, it's the best thing to do. Sometimes you just need to...leave. Get the hell out of wherever you are."

"It is freeing, isn't it?" Brian smiled over at him, Roger returning the grin with a nod.

"It'll do us good. I'm sure you need it after your shitty week and well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't need it too." Roger flicked the full butt of his cigarette out the window.

"You had a bad week too?" Brian asked hesitantly, watching the blond frown for a moment before shrugging it off.

"We're all entitled to one every once and a while, yeah?" Roger brushed the question off smoothly, though Brian could tell there was more to the story than a small breakup with one of the many girls he seemed to attract.

Not that he'd hold it against him, of course. He was young and had every right to date around, even if his relationships were alarmingly short.

"No need to spoil the mood, Bri. This is meant to be a fun trip, don't worry so much. Just go with the flow." The blonds ever-present grin returned, one hand on the wheel and the other on the gear shift. "Best memories are unplanned."

"Sorry." Brian gave him a small smile.He didn't understand why he felt so stuffy in that moment with the blond eyeing him amusedly. He supposed it was the first time they'd truly spent time together with just the two of them. Roger was usually glued to Freddie's side and before that, Tim's. He just figured they were closer, despite Brian knowing Tim first.

And he knew just how much it crushed Roger when the bass player had abruptly left just last year.

A snap noise in front of his face pulled him from his thoughts, his eyes snapping to the younger boys smirk. "I can practically see your head floating to the clouds, mate. Mind staying down here to keep me company? We've got a long drive." He joked, throwing in a playful nudge. "I'll even let you pick the radio station."

Brian chuckled, leaning forward to fiddle with the stations. It seemed that every station was on commercial break. Just when he was about to change the station again, Roger grabbed his hand.

"Wait! Don't change it!" Roger pulled his hand away just as the intro began.

"I thought I got to choose the station?" Brian teased, the drummer rolling his eyes in response before grinning widely.

"Yeah, but it's the Beatles." Roger nudged him once again, bobbing his head to the music before rolling the vans windows down and turning the radio up even louder.

_"Standing in the dock at Southampton_

_Trying to get to Holland or France_

_The man in the mac said_

_"You've got to go back"_

_You know, they didn't even give us a chance_

_Christ, you know it ain't easy_

_You know how hard it can be_

_The way things are going_

_They're going to crucify me"_

He sang along to the radio, his voice even louder than speakers were. He smiled wildly, his hair flowing in the hot July wind. It truly was a beautiful late morning, soon turning to afternoon as they continued down the road.

"Come on, Bri! You know it!" He urged the older man to sing along with him, his blue eyes sparkling with pure happiness. He looked so free, it'd be a crime to refuse.

_"Finally made the plane into Paris_

_Honeymooning down by the Seine_

_Peter Brown called to say_

_You can make it okay_

_You can get married in Gibraltar near Spain_

_Christ, you know it ain't easy_

_You know how hard it can be_

_The way things are going_

_They're going to crucify me"_

Brian sang out, trying his best to keep up with Roger as the blond threw his head back with childlike laughter at Brian shaking his shoulders in a compact dance.

"That's it, Bri!" He shouted through his laughs.

_"Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton_

_Talking in our beds for a week_

_The news people said_

_"Say, what you doing in bed?"_

_I said, "We're only trying to get us some peace"_

_Christ, you know it ain't easy_

_You know how hard it can be_

_The way things are going_

_They're going to crucify me_

_Saving up your money for a rainy day_

_Giving all your clothes to charity_

_Last night the wife said_

_Oh boy, when you're dead_

_You don't take nothing with you but your soul_

_Think!_

_Made a lightning trip to Vienna_

_Eating chocolate cake in a bag_

_Newspapers said_

_'She's gone to his head_

_They look just like two gurus in drag'"_

Roger drummer the steering wheel as Brian played his air guitar, trying their best to get the lyrics out through laughs, smiles stretched across their faces. Brian felt his cheeks growing sore from his smile, but he couldn't help it, he was happy.

_"Caught the early plane back to London_

_Fifty acorns tied in a sack_

_The men from the press_

_Said, "We wish you success_

_It's good to have the both of you back"_

_Christ, you know it ain't easy_

_You know how hard it can be_

_The way things are going_

_They're going to crucify me_

_The way things are going_

_They're going to crucify me"_

Roger looked over to Brian, laughing as the song faded out into the radio hosts overly friendly voice announcing the next song. He switched the volume down as The Rolling Stones came on, resting his arm out the window with one hand on the wheel.

"I want that record so bad." Brian shook his head, grinning over at Roger. "Haven't gotten a chance to get it yet, I've only heard that song on the radio a few times.

"Well, let's get it then." Roger took a sharp left, Brian grabbing his seat in fear as the blond turned onto an old dirt road.

The guitarist looked around, his eyes wide as he tried to make out where they were.

"Don't worry, I know where we are." Roger laughed, seeing Brian's concerned face.

"Middle of nowhere?" Brian guessed, the blond only snorting in response.

"You'll see." Roger smirked, turning onto a field, speeding up as Brian grabbed his seat in pure terror.

"Rog!! This isn't a road!!" Brian's eyes looked as if they would fall right from his head. He was beginning to think either Roger was completely blind or clinically insane. Perhaps both when the drummer laughed at his reaction.

"Anything's a road if you drive on it!" Roger grinned, finally reaching a paved road, his tire tracks forever etched in some poor farmers field. "Shortcut!" He explained, a curt shrug following his shit-eating grin.

Brian had to take a breath to prevent himself from getting sick all over the dashboard.

"I don't think that's how it works." Brian looked at him with wide eyes and the younger of the two just waved it off.

"Sure it is." Roger replied, pulling into a parking lot and throwing the van into park. "See? We're here and no ones dead? Though, you might've pissed yourself." He smirked, opening the door and sticking a cigarette between his lips.

To his credit, he hasn't lit one in the two hours they had already been driving, only putting them between his lips. Brian hated the smell, but Roger had a way of looking cool while smoking, not that Brian would ever admit it.

He just wish he'd quit for his health, at least.

Lighting the stick, he took in a deep drag, nodding to the record shop. "Let's get that record." He grinned, leading the way to the glass door.

"How'd you know where this place was?" Brian asked, following him into the small shop. The blond smirked at him and shrugged.

"I had a lot of boring nights when I was sixteen and too many arseholes went to the one record shop in my town." Roger said, heading to the record bins. He shifted through them, his tongue sticking between his teeth as he searched, cigarette hanging loosely between his fingers.

Snapping out of his stare, Brian moved to browse the rows of records. It was a small and cluttered shop, clearly had a very low traffic flow from the lack of customers and one singular clerk up in the back.

"Found it!" Roger called out, holding the record up. Sure, it consisted of only two songs and was way overpriced, but the glowing smile on the guitarists face was enough to get the blond to race to the cashier and put a few bills down on the counter.

"Is there a second?" Brian asked, looking through where Roger had just searched, frowning when he couldn't find it.

"What for? This is yours." He grinned, putting his change in his pocket before handing the record to the confused brunet.

"What? Rog, you didn't have to-"

"Happy birthday." He shrugged with a smile. "Ever heard the second song on it?"

Brian smiled down at him and shook his head. He'd always missed it on the radio.

"Well, let's hear it." Roger grinned, grabbing the record back and ripping off the plastic before switching off the record on the turntable, placing the needle down to the next song.

Sitting down on the ground, pulling the taller boy down with him, he bobbed his head to the song and tapped his foot.

Brian sat with his head against the wall, grinning as he listened along. Looking over at Roger he could tell he was feeling the same way.

Oh, how nice it was to have a friend.


End file.
